LEARNING ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS CIVICS STANDARD ONE (b): Students will analyze the different functions of federal, state, and local governments in the United States and examine the reasons for the different organizational structures each level of government displays. LEARNING ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS Why does a government have certain powers? (2) What different needs should be addressed by the different levels of government? (3) Has the idea of what is an appropriate power of government changed or remained the same over time?

UNIT IV: CIVICS AND GOVERNMENT

BRANCHES OF GOVERNMENT

I. Constitution Divided into three main parts: 1. Preamble (opening statement) Six Goals: to form a more perfect union to establish justice to ensure domestic tranquility to provide for the common defense to promote the general welfare to secure the blessing of liberty

Articles divided into seven sections purpose – create the framework for our government 3. Amendments only 27 formal changes (amendments) have been made to the Constitution over the past 200 years

Limited Government Popular Sovereignty Individual Rights Seven Basic Principles of the Constitution Separation of Power Checks and Balances Federalism Republicanism

II. Rights and Responsibilities of Citizenship A. What is a citizen? citizen: Person who owes loyalty to a particular nation and is entitled to all its rights and protection 2. To be a United States citizen, you must fulfill one of three requirements… You are born in the United States, or one of your parents is a citizen of the U.S. You were naturalized, that is, you have completed the official legal process for becoming a citizen. You were 18 or younger when your parents were naturalized.

voting obeying the laws defending the nation serving on a jury B. Responsibilities of a Citizen CIVIC RESPONSIBILITIES: voting obeying the laws defending the nation serving on a jury serving the community being informed

III. Changing the Constitution A. Amendment Process 1. two ways: proposed by 2/3 of both the House of Representatives and the Senate (Congress) national convention called by Congress at the request of 2/3 of the state legislature (never been used before)

B. Amendment Ratification 1. two ways: approved by the legislatures of ¾ of the states approved by special conventions in ¾ of the states

C. Later Amendments 1. Civil War Amendments 13th – abolished slavery 14th – guaranteed citizenship to former slaves 15th – states may not deny the right to vote to any citizen on the basis of race, color, or previous conditions of servitude

2. Nineteenth Amendment (19TH) gave women the right to vote 3. Twenty-Sixth Amendment (26TH) lowered the minimum voting age from 21 to 18

IV. Federalism A. Levels of Government federal government (United States): deals with national issues state government (Delaware): power to meet more local needs each of the 50 states has a constitution that sets forth the principles and framework of its government 3. local government (Smyrna): the administration of a particular town, county, or district, with representatives elected by those who live there

STATE LOCAL BOTH

STATE LOCAL BOTH operate state firefighters parks police in charge of infrastructures garbage collection education license professionals provide libraries, parks, cultural, and recreational facilities maintenance maintain law and order highways and roads provide public health and welfare programs conduct safety inspections of buildings and restaurants